Career and Education Opportunities for Heating Equipment Installers in Columbia, South Carolina

Heating equipment installers can find both educational opportunities and jobs in the Columbia, South Carolina area. About 4,850 people are currently employed as heating equipment installers in South Carolina. By 2016, this is expected to grow 11% to about 5,370 people employed. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for heating equipment installers are expected to grow by about 28.1%. Heating equipment installers generally install, service, and repair heating and air conditioning systems in residences and commercial establishments.

A person working as a heating equipment installer can expect to earn about $16 hourly or $34,340 per year on average in South Carolina and about $19 per hour or $39,680 yearly on average in the U.S. as a whole. Compared with people working in the overall category of Heating and Air, people working as heating equipment installers in South Carolina earn the same. They earn the same as people working in the overall category of Heating and Air nationally.

There are twenty schools of higher education in the Columbia area, including one within twenty-five miles of Columbia where you can get a degree to start your career as a heating equipment installer. The most common level of education for heating equipment installers is a post-secondary certificate. You can expect to spend a short time training to become a heating equipment installer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Heating Equipment Installer

In general, heating equipment installers install, service, and repair heating and air conditioning systems in residences and commercial establishments.

Heating equipment installers comply with all applicable standards and procedures, including safety procedures and the maintenance of a clean work area. They also repair or remove faulty equipment or wiring. Equally important, heating equipment installers have to test pipe or tubing joints and connections for leaks, using pressure gauge or soap-and-water solution. They are often called upon to test electrical circuits and parts for continuity, using electrical test equipment. They are expected to set up and adjust thermostats, humidistats and timers, using hand tools. Finally, heating equipment installers assist with other activities in coordination with repair and maintenance teams.

Every day, heating equipment installers are expected to be able to twist and stretch their arms and legs to get work done. They need to move quickly in order to hold onto or control objects and devices. It is also important that they visualize how things come together and can be organized.

It is important for heating equipment installers to wrap pipes in insulation, securing it in place with cement or wire bands. They are often called upon to generate work orders that address deficiencies in need of correction. They also fabricate, assemble and install duct work and chassis parts, using portable metal-working tools and welding equipment. Somewhat less frequently, heating equipment installers are also expected to record and report all faults and other unusual occurrences, as well as the time and materials expended on work orders.

Heating equipment installers sometimes are asked to reassemble and test equipment following fixes. and lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment in line with wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools. And finally, they sometimes have to assist with other activities in coordination with repair and maintenance teams.

Like many other jobs, heating equipment installers must be reliable and have exceptional integrity.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Heating Equipment Installer Training

Midlands Technical College - West Columbia, SC

Midlands Technical College, 1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC 29170-2176. Midlands Technical College is a large college located in West Columbia, South Carolina. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 11,157 students. Midlands Technical College has less than one year, one to two year, and associate's degree programs in Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician which graduated seven, one, and ten students respectively in 2008.

Test and Balance Technician:
Test and Balance Technicians perform field testing and analysis of HVAC systems; make system adjustments; record readings; and prepare test and balance reports for approval by the agency TBE.

Standard Journeyman Plumber:
The International Code Council's National Contractor Trades Examination Program is an independent testing program designed to provide licensing agencies with information regarding.

NAFA Certified Technician:
The NAFA Certified Technician (NCT) Program was first introduced to NAFA members in January 1999 as an effort to add more credibility and professionalism to the air filtration industry.

Solar Thermal Installer Certification:
The NABCEP solar thermal installer certification is a voluntary certification that provides a set of national standards by which solar thermal installers with skills and experience can distinguish themselves from their competition.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina photo by Akhenaton06

Columbia is located in Richland County, South Carolina. It has a population of over 127,029, which has grown by 9.2% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Columbia, 86, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Columbia cost $142,700 on average, which is well below the state average. In 2008, four hundred thirty-four new homes were built in Columbia, down from seven hundred the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Columbia are educational services, health care, and public administration. For men, it is educational services, public administration, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 18 minutes. More than 35.7% of Columbia residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 14.3%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Columbia is 16.1%, which is greater than South Carolina's average of 12.0%.

The percentage of Columbia residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 41.6%, is less than both the national and state average. Progressive Church, Bishop Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church and Lutheran Seminary are among the churches located in Columbia. The largest religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church and the Catholic Church.

Columbia is home to the Booker T Washington Center and the Longstreet Annex as well as Irwin Park and Columbia Historic District II. Shopping centers in the area include Five Points Shopping Center, Market Place Shopping Center and Columbiana Centre Shopping Center. Visitors to Columbia can choose from Marriott Columbia, Hampton Inn Columbia-SE-Fort Jackson and Embassy Suites Hotel for temporary stays in the area.